Momentum seemed to be building over recent weeks as Real Madrid became heavily linked with a move for Bayern Munich's versatile 22-year-old left-back David Alaba, but their pursuit of the defender may have cooled after he suffered a torn medial collateral ligament while on international duty with Austria against Bosnia.

Alaba injured his left knee after tripping over an opponent and was immediately stretchered off and attended to by medical staff.

However, it was later revealed by Bayern Munich on their official website that Alaba had indeed torn his MCL and would require surgery, which was confirmed by Austria's team physician Dr. Richard Eggenhofer.

There is no set date for Alaba's surgery but it is confirmed that he will miss a crucial German Cup quarter-final tie against Bayer Leverkusen next week and both legs of the Champions League quarter-final game against Porto on April 15 and 21.

Bayern aren't at risk of losing the German Bundesliga this season, as they maintain a 10 point lead, but Alaba is looking to return before the end of the season, with the only possible options being the German Cup final on 30 May and the Champions League final, in Berlin, the following week June 6, 2015.

Thomas Conn

I didn't particularly enjoy football growing up, but I respected it. However, after living in Barcelona for over a year, my future wife took my to watch a meaningless Champions League draw between Barcelona and FC Basel on a rainy night in November. Messi would score that evening and I would fall madly under the spell of Spanish football. I have loved this sport and every single detail ever since that day (Barcelona went on to beat Manchester United in the final in Rome that year). Tom has finely tuned his craft as the owner of Inside Spanish Football for the past four years.